SnakeTongued
by amtra
Summary: Draco's granddaughter, Ashlynn Malfoy, returns to Hogwarts for her sixth year. Things at Hogwarts are rather different. Her year is filled with a new transfer student from America, teenage drama, and the constant fear of the Saviors, an extremist group.
1. Just A Girl

Steam poured from the engine of the red express train, and I smiled wickedly. I was coming back, and everything was as it should be. Cale ran through the brick wall with his trolley and pulled up to a stop on my left. I turned my head back and grinned at him. I could tell that he was feeling the same sense of pride and confidence at our return to the school.

The atmosphere was much different here. I knew what to do. At home I had to do everything their way. At Hogwarts I was free.

"Oy, Ash!" Brynn yelled and flagged me down. "Over here!"

I waved in what I thought was an elegant fashion and strode over to her with Cale by my side. During that time my already short skirt decided to ride up a fraction of an inch. I tugged it down irritably. It was ruining my moment.

I was a sixth year now and well on my way to ruling the school, which I intended to have happen even if Triss or anyone else for that matter thought differently.

"Hey, I've missed you so much!" I squealed and hugged her. "I can't believe I didn't see you all summer!"

"Me either! Hi, Cale." She beamed as we broke apart.

"Hi, Brynn."

We walked with our Gryffindor friend to find the rest of our little group. Brynn talked animatedly away about her holidays. Her curly light brown hair was much different from her grandfather's graying dreadlocks. It was hard to tell that she was African at all. Her skin tone was a gorgeous bronze that I was extremely jealous of with my pale pallor.

"So, what did you do over the holidays?" she asked, actually coming to a halt in her own fast as a bullet talk.

I blushed a little, and Cale said, "Um..."

I knew he was thinking of the same thing as I was. The incident.

"Did something happen?" She sounded worried. Then noticing our suspicious faces, she gasped dramatically. "Oh my god! It finally happened, didn't it?" She jumped up and down excitedly.

Cale and I exchanged confused looks. "What happened?" I asked.

"You. Two. Together."

I sighed. That again. When was everyone going to realize that Cale and I were just friends?

"What? Oh. No!" Cale jumped away from me quickly.

"Still just friends," I assured her.

"Oh." Her expression dropped.

"Wish your grandparents would get that," Cale muttered.

I hit him lightly on the arm. "Shut up," but there was nothing playful in my tone.

_My mind flew back to the conversation we had had two weeks ago. Cale and I were sitting at a table at an ice cream parlor in the exclusive wizarding village he lived in._

_"I'm so excited!" I'd been holding in this outburst since I'd appeared in his family's fireplace ten minutes ago, and since we'd sat down, I could finally make my big announcement._

_"What happened?"_

_"I was made-" He didn't let me finish my sentence._

_"Captain of the quidditch team?" he guessed enthusiastically._

_"Yes!"_

_"Good for you." He hugged me._

_We were just breaking apart when I noticed four dark shadows loom onto our table and heard the haughty tones of my great-grandfather, Lucius Malfoy, "Well, well, well. What do we have here? You didn't tell us you were in town, Ashlynn."_

_I turned around slowly, so I could use the time to access the situation and right it to make sure I had the upper hand._

_"Cale and I were just going to stop by and say hi soon." I looked him straight in those gray eyes despite feeling completely unnerved, but I didn't let it on._

_"That's lovely, dear." Nana smiled, but it didn't extend past her lips. She never showed much emotion except for the day she saw her hair graying. Through experience I had learned to be wary of all of them._

_"I told you the match would be perfect," Grandmother said to the other three. "Good afternoon, Mr. Avery."_

_"You can call me Cale." He flashed them one of his signature dazzling smiles that won over everyone, but none of them looked too impressed by it, since they, too, were skilled at manipulation._

_"What match were you talking about, Grandmother?" I asked, before she could get a word out of her already moving mouth. I knew I had to stay on the offensive. A little voice reminded me of how ignorant it made me sound, but I pushed it away quickly. It was too late to worry. What was done was done._

_"Between you and Mr. Avery," Sir said._

_Grandfather stayed silent. I knew there was no hope of help from him because he was scared of Sir and Nana. I'd learned it at a much younger age. He wouldn't say a word against them._

_"It's the perfect match," Nana added, "and you like each other. Even better."_

_"Excuse me Mrs. Malfoy, but are you talking of marriage?" Cale asked for clarification._

_"Of course."_

_"Not the brightest I see," Sir commented._

_Cale shifted his weight, staring at their shoulders, but I knew eye contact was key. It proved you weren't scared._

_"Cale and I are friends," I explained._

_"Well, it won't be that way for long. I'll talk with his mother. We just want what's best for you." Nana patted me on the shoulder in what was evidently supposed to be a loving way, but her hand was just as cold as her eyes._

_"Mother, are you sure so soon? They're sixteen," Grandfather pointed out. I was surprised he'd said anything at all, and looking at the faces of Sir and Nana, I wasn't the only one._

_"Draco," they said at the same time. Cale looked back and forth from the pair of them, expecting them to continue, but I knew nothing more was coming. They were warning him. I thought for the millionth time about how he had to grow more of a backbone._

_After a long and awkward silence, they left, and Cale and I were finally allowed to turn back to our melted ice creams._

"What do you mean?" Brynn asked curiously. I really didn't want everyone to know about my psycho great-grandparents, but she was my best friend.

I sighed. "I'll tell you later. It's personal."

"Oh," she said, understanding immediately.

As we made our way through the crowd of frantic parents and students, I heard a woman calling above the crowd, "Ashlynn! Ashlynn!" I pretended not to hear it. My friends were more important than the woman who was rarely in my life. She had been too busy at work and too in love to bother.

After two more voices accompanied hers, I couldn't ignore it anymore. Other people were starting to notice as well.

"I've gotta go see what they want. Sorry," I apologized to them.

"We'll come with you," Brynn offered.

I stopped walking and abruptly turned around to walk in the direction we had come from. However, the boy behind me hadn't realized my intentions, and we walked smack into each other.

He smiled. "Sorry."

"No, no. It was my fault."

"Whatever." He shrugged and walked away, but not before the image of his gorgeous blond hair and blue eyes was ingrained into my memory.

"Nice, Ashlynn." Cale laughed.

We rounded a bend past a wall of luggage and redheads. I recognized many of their faces from family reunions, but none were that important to me. I waved at Levi Lupin who was chatting with Xander Potter.

My parents and brother appeared in my line of vision. Both Mum and Dad looked annoyed. I supposed they had every right to be. I had slipped off while they were chatting with Uncle Albus and Uncle James.

"Ashlynn Bellatrix Malfoy, where have you been?" Dad demanded. Mum grimaced at the mention of my middle name. I'd heard time and time again of how Nana had switched my name at birth from Molly to Bellatrix. I found it slightly ironic because Grandma Molly has killed Bellatrix. I guess the latter won in regards to my name.

Jett grinned at me slyly, and I knew he was the one who had ratted me out. They wouldn't have noticed my disappearance if it weren't for him.

"You little prat." I glared at him, but there was no real feeling of hatred between us. It was just our typical sibling banter.

"Your brother was being responsible. Something you would do well to learn," Mum said, staring at me sternly. Despite her attempt to be intimidating, I was not impressed because it's kind of hard to be scared of someone three inches shorter than you.

"I'm a prefect," I reminded her, "and captain of the Slytherin quidditch team."

She just sighed, probably debating about giving me another lecture about how titles didn't mean much. "I'm well aware of that. Your brother tells me every time he writes a letter home."

"Yeah, because she takes points away from Ravenclaw for no reason!" he protested, but I ignored him as usual.

Cale and Brynn stood behind me awkwardly. I could tell that they didn't want to be in the middle of it.

"Well, Ash, we just want to wish you a good school year," Mum said.

"Oh, well, thanks."

"You're coming home for Christmas, correct?" Dad asked, narrowing his blue eyes.

"Um, probably. I'll write to you to let you know."

"You had better, young lady, because we are going to the Weasley family reunion this year." I groaned. I hated meeting all those people. "Bring a friend or two, but you have to come. Grandma and Grandpa send their best wishes. They hope that your year is good," Mum told me.

I was itching to get away, and I knew my friends wanted to leave too.

"Okay. Send them my regards, and I hope they have a good year too." I began to slowly inch backwards.

"Goodbye, darling." Mum hugged me, and I hugged her back, so she couldn't tell how disconnected from her I felt.

I looked nothing like her either. Her reddish brown hair had gone to neither Jett or me. We both some how ended up with Grandmother's dark hair.

"Bye, Mum. Bye, Dad. See you later, Jett," I said quickly and walked away with Brynn and Cale. "Let's go find Jaxon and Keaton."

"Sounds cool," Brynn hopped along next to me. "I think I might have seen Bekki and Rikky around somewhere, but then we had to go talk to your parents. I don't get why you're so nice to them. I mean, yeah, they're totally nice and all too, but they were never there for you when you were younger."

I shrugged. "They're my parents," was my only answer.

"Oh, look," Brynn said, pointing toward the train. "There's Jaxon and Keaton. Hmph. They're always together. It's kinda weird."

I shrugged again. They were best friends. I hung out with Brynn all the time. There was nothing wrong with that.

"They're just friends, Brynn. Jeez," Cale said, voicing my thoughts.

"What? I didn't mean it that way," she huffed. "You always think the worst of me," she muttered, continuing under her breath, but I couldn't hear what she was saying.

"Hey, guys," I said to Jaxon and Keaton, interrupting Brynn and Cale's argument.

"There's this new guy," Jaxon said.

I rolled my eyes. "Who cares about first years?"

"No, no. He's not a first year. He's in our year," Keaton assured me.

I did a double take. "Pardon?"

"Quit pulling our legs, you two. It's not funny," Brynn said. "It's not even that clever."

"No, we're serious. His name is Holden Chase, and he's a transfer student from America," Jaxon explained.

"Well, it seems that even if this is true, you've at least thought out your story well." I gave them each a congratulatory pat on the back. "Let's go find a compartment to sit in before they all fill up or we'll be stuck with a couple of creepy first years like last year."

We all piled into the train and made our way down the narrow corridor, glancing into each compartment to see if they were empty.

"It's not even eleven o'clock yet, and all the compartments are already taken," Brynn complained. "How does that happen?"

She spoke too soon. The next one I looked into was completely deserted, so I stepped inside and was soon followed by Cale, Brynn, Jaxon, and Keaton.

I took the seat nearest the door, and Brynn and Cale took the other seats nearest me, leaving those near the window for Jaxon and Keaton.

"What about Bekki and Rikky?" Keaton asked after having shoved his trunk up in the luggage rack. "I haven't seen either of them."

"Ugh, they're just way too smart. I always feel stupid when I'm around them," Brynn said.

"Why are you friends with them then?" I asked.

"Uh, because everyone else is. Anyway, they are nice. I just feel dumb next to them."

"They help me with my homework a lot though," Jaxon pointed out from his window seat opposite Keaton. "They're geniuses."

"Duh, they're in Ravenclaw, House of the smart people," Brynn said exasperatedly.

"What's wrong with being smart?" The boy I'd walked into appeared in the doorway. He leaned on it cockily and grinned at all of us. "Hey, Jaxon. Keaton." He nodded at them.

Jaxon mouthed, 'Told you he existed,' at me.

I should've noticed earlier that I'd never seen him before, but I'd been too busy worrying about my bloody parents.

"So, you guys got names?"

This guy was going to be the death of me.

* * *

><p>Hey, everyone who bothers to read this. One: Thanks for taking the time. Hope you like Ashlynn's World. Two: Reviews are awesome, and it's nice to see that people care or are willing to critique.<p>

I'm working on editing the rest of the chapters I already have written.


	2. American Boy

"Yeah," I said, but chose not to reveal it. The guy's accent was really throwing me off. It was just so different from everyone I knew.

"I'm Brynn Jordan. This is Ashlynn Malfoy, and that's Cale Avery."

"Nice to meet you, Brynn, Ashlynn, Cale." He nodded at us all in turn and slid into the seat opposite me.

"It's Malfoy to you," I said darkly. I hated when I didn't get the respect I deserved. Sir and Nana thought I was just a little pawn in their games of power, but I would show them. I just had to figure out a good plan.

"Seriously? You go by your last names?"

I sneered at him. "Got a problem with that?"

"It's a bit stupid, don't ya think? I mean, do you have a sibling?"

"Yes," I answered curtly, wondering where this was leading to.

"Well, what if you're standing next to your... brother?" I nodded. "Okay, say you're standing next to your brother, and all of a sudden Brynn, here, wants to get your attention. She calls 'Malfoy,' but then both of you turn around. What then?"

"Brynn is my best friend. She doesn't have to call me Malfoy." I sighed. This guy was either a complete idiot or really smart and hated being wrong. I supposed I would have to wait to find out. Then, I would decide if he was worth my time.

He sighed too, exasperated my me. "Well, say someone whose not your best friend. See how that could be a problem?"

I chose to ignore his valid point by bring up one of my own. "There are two Hanna's in our year. Explain that to me."

"Fair point, _Malfoy_."

I wish I could strangle the guy or at least perform one of my signature hexes on him, but of course I couldn't because that would be childish, and I was a prefect.

"So, what house are you going to be in?" Keaton asked to break the tension.

"What house?" He looked utterly confused. Ha. Something I knew that he didn't. Score One for me. I smiled smugly, pleased with myself.

"You know like Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin," Jaxon explained.

"Oh, what are those like?"

"Well, Gryffindors are brave," Jaxon said, and Keaton had to add, "Woot, woot."

"Jaxon and Keaton are in Gryffindor with me," Brynn said. She was always so nice to everyone until they did something to get on her bad side. Triss for example. "Hufflepuffs are supposed to be hardworking and loyal."

"Jazz is a Hufflepuff. He's the perfect example. He's crazy hardworking," Jaxon said.

"Ravenclaws are really smart, like those two girls we were talking about, Bekki and Rikky," Brynn added.

"When were you talking about that?"

"Right when you walked in and interrupted," I said, smiling in a completely fake nice way.

"Okay, so that's three houses. What's the last one, Slytherin, like?"

"Slytherin is the best house," I said, pleased with myself. "Only those who have great ambitions and are willing to do anything to reach them get in. Plus it helps to be pure-blood."

"I'm assuming that you're in that house."

"Of course. So is Cale."

"Yeeah."

"Everyone used to hate Slytherin because all the Death Eaters were from it, but now we are the best house. A lot of people are in the same house as their parents, but of course that wouldn't help you since you're from the U.S."

"Yup. Cali. What are Death Eaters?"

Jaxon and Keaton had gotten bored of our conversation and were currently in a heated quidditch team argument, but at his question swiveled their heads around to gape at him. Brynn and Cale did the same.

"Does your family live under a rock or something?" Brynn asked incredulously.

"No."

"Haven't you heard of Lord Voldemort?" I asked. Children of our age had been brought up taught not to flinch at the name because of Harry Potter's example.

"I think so. Didn't he terrorize Britain in the late 1900's? Killing a bunch of Muggles?"

"Exactly," Brynn said. "His followers were known as the Death Eaters, and most of them came from Slytherin, giving it a bad reputation."

"Oh, so were your ancestors Death Eaters?" he asked me.

For a moment I was in too much of a state of shock to be offended, but anger quickly came over me. My hand slipped instantly to the wand in the back pocket of my jeans. Soon I was brandishing it threateningly in his face.

"Ash, calm down." Cale put a hand on my shoulder, but I couldn't calm down. That boy had just accused me of such a crime, like I was a bloody Death Eater. How dare he? It was true that Sir, Nana, and Grandfather had been Death Eaters, but they were good in the end.

"I was just asking a question." He raised his hands in the air, but I could see his eyes flicking from me to his pocket where I assumed his wand was hidden.

I glared hatefully at him. "A question? Come on. How dumb do you think I am? You implied- You accused-" but the rage had gotten the best of me, and I couldn't explain it anymore.

"I wasn't. I swear." Liar.

Brynn sighed. "What she means is accusing someone of having Death Eater heritage is the same as saying that they are one, and it's often used as an insult these days."

"Oh, well, I'm really sorry, Ashlynn. I was just curious because you don't seem the type to be apart of that kind of thing."

"_Malfoy_," I said through gritted teeth. I needed to cool off, so I asked Brynn, "Is it time to go to the prefects carriage yet?"

Brynn did a little spell and replied, "Yeah."

"Come on, Cale," I said, standing up. "We can leave Jaxon and Keaton to entertain..." I didn't remember his name. He'd never said, and I hadn't bothered to listen to Jaxon earlier because I'd thought he'd made him up.

"Holden," he supplied.

"Last name," I said.

"Chase."

"Okay, Chase, you can stay here with Jaxon and Keaton while Brynn, Cale, and I go to the prefects compartment." I walked out the door before he could say anything more.

"You okay, Ash?" Brynn asked worriedly when she'd joined me in the aisle.

"Yeah. I guess."

"That was rather rude of him," Cale commented.

"Well, you've got to cut the kid some slack. He's from the U.S. How's he supposed to know much?" Brynn pointed out, but I didn't really want to cut him slack. He deserved what he got.

"I suppose, but that was still inappropriate."

"Cale, you're too formal and odd."

"Thanks, Brynn."

"My pleasure, Cale."

At that moment two little balls of crazed energy with flaming red hair sprinted down the hall and barreled straight into Cale who staggered over, holding the wall for support. Brynn sniggered, and I suppressed a grin.

Elle and Eryn, my fourth year cousins, smiled evilly up at me. They weren't really my cousins, but their grandfather was Grandpa's brother. I wasn't quite sure what that made them, but I didn't think anyone else knew either. Just like how Xander's father, Uncle Albus, was my "uncle" even though he was really Mum's cousin.

I gave them a stern look. "Watch where you're going," but they could tell I wasn't serious. Some prefect I was turning out to be.

"Okay, Ashy!" they said in unison. They darted off in a rush, taking their signature Weasley hair that neither Jett nor I inherited and mischievous green eyes with them. I grimaced at the old nickname that Xander had come up for me when he was younger.

"Your cousins are mental," Cale commented.

"I know."

"Hullo, Ashy." I frowned yet again at my "cousin," Xander. "How was your summer?" His long lanky figure was framed in the doorway, and his jet black hair fell into his hazel eyes. He was identical to Uncle Albus, which was only a little bit creepy. He was obviously a lot younger looking and gorgeous. I was sure that if he wasn't related to me I would have had a huge crush on him.

"Good thanks." I spied a gleaming badge on his chest. "Congratulations, Head Boy."

He blushed. "Oh, um, thanks."

"Of course you got it. Why are you so surprised? All the teachers love you. Especially McGonagall, and the Headmistress's vote is the one that counts right?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess."

"Hi, Xander," Brynn said, beaming.

"Hi, Jordan. Avery."

"Oy, Potter!" Rachelle yelled from inside the compartment. "Quit mingling and help me start this thing!"

I noticed she also had a new shining badge pinned onto her robes.

"Oh, well. Gotta run. See you." Xander turned quickly to join Rachelle to bring all the new fifth year prefects into the loop.

"Your cousin's strange," Cale said.

"I know, but seriously, it must be hard if your grandfather is the Boy Who Lived."

Cale shrugged and followed Brynn into the cramped compartment. I followed suit and squished myself in with the rest of them.

Rachell cleared her throat to quiet the rowdy fifth years. "Attention."

A couple of the boys ignored her. One of them I recognized as Thom Finnegan, Bekki's cousin, and the other was none other than my brother, Jett. "Oy, you, Finnegan. Jett." Xander glared down at the three of them. The third was a Slytherin boy in Jett's year, but I didn't know his name.

I turned away. I did not want to be associated with him. Honestly, Jett was so stupid sometimes, but also extremely clever because he noticed my attempts to hide and yelled, "Hey, sis!"

I glowered at him. "Hi," I said through gritted teeth.

"I've gotta give it to him. Your brother's smart," Cale muttered in my ear.

He was. No wonder he was in Ravenclaw.

"Hey, hey. Everyone calm down." Rachelle was now glaring at anyone who dared to make eye contact with her. "Pay attention or I'll get your badge revoked." That got them all to shut up.

I stood at the side of the compartment for the next half hour pretty much tuning out everything Xander and Rachelle said. I loved them, but I knew the drill.

"Ash. Ash," Brynn said in a high pitched voice, waving a hand in front of my face. "Quit zoning. It's time to go."

"Oh, yeah, right." I joined her and Cale in the nearly empty hallway. Everyone else had left before us except Xander and Rachelle who were talking together. I had ten sickles on them getting together by the end of the month. Brynn said the end of the week, and Cale, well, he didn't have an opinion.

"So, we're patrolling the halls now?" I asked Brynn.

"Yeah." She did the little spell to see the time and added, "We should probably change into our robes soon too."

"Should we check on Jax and Keaton first? To check that the new kid hasn't tortured them," I suggested.

She shrugged. "I don't think he was that bad, ash."

"It was rude," Cale said, as we past a couple of giggling first year girls on our way back to our compartment.

"You already said that." Brynn laughed and punched his arm lightly.

"I know, but it's true." I joined in with her at this. Cale was such an idiot sometimes.

"Unless you have something original to say, Cale, don't say it," Brynn instructed.

"Sorry."

"I'm pretty sure you said that before," she said in a sing-song voice.

"Wow, Brynn. Harsh," I said, while waving to Bekki and Ricki who were sitting with Darren Smith and Jazz Longbottom.

Soon after, we ran into some girls I would've rather not met this soon. I usually needed to be heavily prepared before I could deal with them.

"Hey, Ash," Triss drawled, twirling a curly lock of blond hair around her finger. "Long time no see. How was your summer?"

"Uh, good thanks."

She was flanked on either side by two girls who were complete opposites. On her right was Jessyca Nott. She was the prettiest girl in our year by a long shot. Her glossy, straight brown hair was perfect in every way, with each and every individual strand resting perfectly in place. Her gray eyes were so fascinating that sometimes I got caught staring into them and looking like a complete fool.

Marissa on the other hand was no beauty. She wasn't ugly, but she wasn't pretty either. However she got really good marks in class, which was the only reason Triss and Jess were friends with her, and that she was a pureblood.

"Hi, Zabini," Brynn said to her icily, but gave Jessyca a genuine smile and greeting. Poor Marissa was left forgotten.

"How was _your_ summer, Cale?" Jess asked, smiling a dazzling smile of white sparkling teeth. It reminded me of Cale's own charming one, and it occurred to me how cute they would be together. I made a mental note to tell Brynn of it later, despite the fact that I would probably forget.

"Er, good," was Cale's only response. I noticed a fain pink tinge had come to his cheeks. There was definitely something there, and I was determined to figure out what it was.


	3. We No Speak Americano

"Oh my god! She just came up to us and- and-" Brynn fell silent, lost for words. Nothing could explain the rage she felt toward Triss. I put a consoling hand on her shoulder.

"They're not that bad, Brynn," Cale said.

"Oh, quit sticking up for them. They're just pretty, but underneath all those beauty pageant wins are complete and utter devils," Brynn said darkly. "God, I hate Zabini."

"Who's Zabini?" That guy, Chase, showed up at the most annoying times.

"A girl in our year," I answered curtly.

"Zabini. That's a weird name for a girl." Who was he to judge? He came from the country of radical freaks.

"Her name is Triss Zabini."

"Oh. The whole last name thing. I get it, but it's still weird." He sat back down in his seat, and I hurried over to where Jaxon was sitting next to the window, so that I wouldn't have to deal with Chase any longer.

"Which house is she in?" He asked too many questions.

"Slytherin," Brynn answered, dropping into the seat next to me and across from him.

"Ah, I see." As he fell silent, I swore I could see the gears turning under those blond locks. He was judging everything we did. It wasn't far from the ordinary for me. On the contrary I was constantly judged by Sir, Nana, Grandfather, and Grandmother. Mum and Dad didn't pay to much attention to me or Jett for the most part. My family despite its flaws had prepared me for the harsh world. I was ready for him even if he didn't know it.

The rest of the train ride was uneventful except for when Cale mentioned me having received the title of Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team.

"You're what?" Brynn shrieked, and Jaxon and Keaton gaped at me, speechless. In my opinion it made them look like complete idiots. She jumped out of her seat and gave me a huge bear hug, which felt more like she was attacking me.

"Yep," I said once she got off of me. I shrugged casually, even though there was excitement bubbling and gathering within me just under the surface.

"That's sick," Chase commented.

"Pardon?" We all stared at him in confusion. "What's wrong with me being captain?"

"What?" He appeared just as baffled as the rest of us. "Oh, you thought I meant- No. I didn't mean that as a bad thing. In California sick is the same as cool."

"Oh," Brynn, Cale, and I said at the same time.

"Yeah, at my old school in the States, WCW, I played on the quidditch team for school and we competed against the Great Plains and New England schools."

"What position do you play?" I asked him in case he got sorted into Slytherin. We could use a second good beater. Right now it was just Smith because his sister, Krysten Smith, graduated last year.

"Keeper."

Didn't need one of those. Daniels was the best keeper at Hogwarts. Chase had a low chance of snagging her spot from her, if he happened to be in Slytherin.

"Well, if you're any good, you should tryout for your house team," Brynn suggested, voicing my own thoughts.

"Yeah, I think I will."

"Well, expect Slytherin to crush your house. We always win," I said, smiling.

"Um, what about in our third year, when Gryff-"

"Shut it, Brynn."

"Really?" he asked, sounding impressed. "What position do you play?"

"Chaser."

"Rad. How about you," he hesitated before remembering Cale's name, "Avery?" He apparently only wanted to offend me by using my first name, but cared about sparing Cale's feelings.

"Same. Chaser."

"I'm seeker, and Jax and Keaton are chasers too," Brynn answered before he got the chance to ask.

"Cool."

The train screeched to a halt at the Hogsmeade station. I reached up to the overhead rack and pulled down a medium sized purse.

"Undetectable extension charm?" Chase asked.

I looked up, surprised, and smiled. "Yeah."

"Isn't there some rule that you can't use magic except at school until you're seventeen here?" He'd been the first to grab his trunk, so I walked out with him and waited on the platform, watching the many students file out.

"Yeah, but they can't detect it when you're in a house full of other wizards." I shrugged. Sure, I broke the rules, but it wasn't a big deal. I didn't get caught.

As he went to put his trunk with the ever increasing pile of others, I spotted Hagrid. "First years, over here. First years," he called. His hulking figure stood out from the crowd of babbling first years, gathering around him.

"Hullo, Xander!" He pulled my cousin/whatever-he-was into a great hug, probably crushing his bones in the mean time.

Chase appeared again next to me and said, "In the U.S. we can start at sixteen."

"Wicked."

Cale approached, lugging two large trunks with him. After he'd taken them over to the pile Chase had just returned from, Brynn emerged, looking as gorgeous as ever in her flowing black robes. the orange-red highlights in her brown hair were made prominent b her red and yellow tie. She picked Chase and me out from the crowd and promptly walked over.

"Lazy," I accused her.

She didn't deny it, but just shrugged, grinning. "Hey, he was willing."

"Are you going to carry my bag for me, Chase?"

"Sorry, _Malfoy_, but I don't let people, even if they're pretty girls, take advantage of me." I pondered this inadvertent compliment.

Cale joined up with us. "Hey, where did Jax and Keaton go off to?"

None of us knew, so we began to walk in silence over to the horse-drawn carriages. They were pulled by thestrals. Everyone knew that from Care of Magical Creatures, a class I was dropping this year, but I couldn't see them. I was thankful for that.

"Why do you have thestrals pulling your carriages?" His face paled slightly.

"They're useful," I supplied.

He didn't respond, looking like he'd just seen a ghost, which he probably had, so I supposed that it wasn't a good analogy, but the gist is still the same. Seeing the thestrals must have brought up the memory of the death he'd seen.

"I can't believe we have to sit at our house tables," I complained once we'd all climbed into the carriage. "I don't get to sit with you."

Brynn nodded. "I know. It sucks, but at least it's only for the Welcoming Feast and the End-of-Term one."

"Yeah."

Chase and Cale sat awkwardly next to one another, as Brynn and I chatted away.

"So, um, you play chaser, right?" Cale nodded. "So, are you any good?"

Cale gave him an offended look. "Of course. I play for Slytherin."

Statistically speaking it was more likely that Slytherin players would be good quidditch players because next to none of us were muggleborn, so most likely we'd played quidditch before, having not been raised my Muggles.

"Hmm, so I guess we should practice together sometime," Chase suggested.

Brynn stared at me expectantly, and I realized that she'd been talking to me the whole time.

"Sorry, what?"

"I just asked you something."

"Oh, sorry. What?" I apologized.

"Why weren't you listening?" She fake pouted.

"They were talking about quidditch."

She nodded, understanding. "Oh. I get it. So, back to my question. I was talking about all the good-looking guys in our year. Do you think Darren Smith qualifies for that category?"

"Eh," I said, shrugging.

"Who's Darren?" Chase turned around and away from his discussion of quidditch with Cale.

"A Hufflepuff," Bynn and I said together. We looked at each other for a split second in surprise, before bursting into laughter. All this was done in complete synchrony, going to show just how good friends we were.

"What's with them?" Chase asked, when we continued in our hysterical laughter. Cale shrugged in answer. "Are they always like this?"

"It gets worse as the year goes on."

"Thanks, Cale," I said sarcastically.

"Any time, Ash. Any time."

Brynn laughed even harder.

Soon our carriage ride came to an end in front of the grand castle that was Hogwarts. It looked so ancient and majestic much different from the technology based world around us. Great Uncle Harry, Grandpa, and Grandma said it looked exactly the same when they'd gone to Hogwarts in the 1990's.

"Whoa, it's really old looking," Chase commented.

"It's been preserved magically," I explained.

He rolled his eyes. "Duh."

"What does _your_ school look like then?"

"Well, it's really modern, and it's hidden at the top of a few skyscrapers in L.A."

"That's cool. What's it like?"

He shrugged. "Pretty cool. We figured out a way to coexist with technology, so it's awesome."

I listened to him in rapt attention. Everything he was saying went against my culture. Well, there was nothing wrong with it, but it was so different. Almost everything we did was with the old traditions.

"How do you use technology? Like Muggle technology? Like a computer?" I was growing more incredulous by the second. How come they could use it, but we couldn't?

"Yeah. I'm guessing you don't." He cracked a smile and ruffled his blond hair.

"Nope."

"Yeah, when we studied you, well, British wizards, we learned you were really traditional because none of the older wizards wanted to let go of the old ways or something."

I looked at him, confused, but I wasn't able to ask for more of an explanation because at that precise moment Professor Abbott appeared. As deputy headmistress it was her duty to collect all the first years to be sorted.

"Chase!" she barked, cutting through the crowd to reach us. We'd almost reached the doors, leading into the Great Hall.

Chase looked up, surprised. "Yeah?" He raised his hand in the air at the same time with his index and middle fingers outstretched, as if he were going to bless her, but it was a preposterous idea because Chase seemed like the kind of person who was a resolute atheist.

"What does that mean?" she asked, flustered.

"Oh, sorry. Nothing. It's just a greeting."

"How strange," she muttered to herself. "Very well, you, Mr. Chase, must come with me at once to get sorted. Good evening, Miss Malfoy." She nodded to me before striding away again.

"You too, Professor," I said a little too late.

"See you." Chase waved and followed her out.

I glanced around for Brynn and Cale, realizing that they had drifted away during my conversation with Chase, but they were nowhere to be found in the sea of surging black robes. Still searching, I was swept into the hall. Once inside I quickly spotted Cale sitting at the Slytherin table chatting away animatedly with Jessyca Nott and Kris Smith.

I strode confidently over to him and slipped smoothly into the seat beside him.

The silver flash of a bracelet near Cale's hand caught my eye, and I noticed Cale and Jessyca were holding hands.

"Hey, when did this happen?" I gestured at their interlocked fingers.

Cale blushed, Jessyca shrugged, and Kris burst into laughter.


	4. Mr Know It All

Holden Chase trooped out in the single file line of first years. He was right behind Professor Abbott and looked incredibly awkward. He looked around confused because we were all staring at the hat, sitting on the stool in front of the staff table.

He jumped in surprise, and I held back a laugh.

Because the Sorting Hat began to sing.

_A thousand years or more ago__  
><em>_When I was newly sewn,__  
><em>_There lived four wizards of renown,__  
><em>_Whose names are still well known:__Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,__  
><em>_Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,__  
><em>_Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,__  
><em>_Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.__They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,__  
><em>_They hatched a daring plan__  
><em>_To educate young sorcerers__  
><em>_Thus Hogwarts School began.__Now each of these four founders__  
><em>_Formed their own house, for each__  
><em>_Did value different virtues__  
><em>_In the ones they had to teach.__By Gryffindor, the bravest were__  
><em>_Prized far beyond the rest;__  
><em>_For Ravenclaw, the cleverest__  
><em>_Would always be the best;__For Hufflepuff, hard workers were__  
><em>_Most worthy of admission;__  
><em>_And power-hungry Slytherin__  
><em>_Loved those of great ambition.__While still alive they did divide__  
><em>_Their favorites from the throng,__  
><em>_Yet how to pick the worthy ones__  
><em>_When they were dead and gone?__Twas Gryffindor who found the way,__  
><em>_He whipped me off his head__  
><em>_The founders put some brains in me__  
><em>_So I could choose instead!__Now slip me snug about your ears,__  
><em>_I've never yet been wrong,__  
><em>_I'll have a look inside your mind__  
><em>_And tell where you belong!*_

*Straight from _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_. I do not own anything.

Professor McGonagall rose from her seat in the middle of the table. She getting on in years. I had a feeling she would be retiring soon. Her spectacles rested lightly on the tip of her nose, as she gazed severely around at all of us. A few times she glanced at someone in particular, just the usual suspects. Her emerald green robes stood out from the mass of black worn by my fellow students and me.

"I'm sure you all have noticed that one of these young students," she gestured to Chase and the first years, "is not a first year. Holden Chase has come to use from West Coast Wizardry in California. He will be spending the remainder of his school years here at Hogwarts. He will now be sorted into a house. I do hope that all of you will be welcoming."

She took her seat again, adding, "That is all for now."

"Chase, Holden," Professor Abott droned, reading of a long list of names.

Chase walked up hesitantly and sat on the stool as directed. She placed the worn hat on his head.

A couple minutes passed, and the hush that had fallen was starting to break.

Suddenly the hat announced, "Ravenclaw!"

Chase stood up, and Professor Abott snagged the hat from his head. He slowly sidled on over to the cheering table.

If he was good at quidditch, Ravenclaw might give us a good run for our money this year. I would have to play smart when choosing the new team. Definitely Cale, and obviously Daniels. Probably Smith, but someone might have gotten better than him, and he just bothered me. I'd most likely end up with Jessyca Nott as well.

Professor Abott said the next name, "Abott, Karine," breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Gryffindor!"

There were about forty students following Karine. I didn't know any of them, so I decided to space.

"Williams, Tristen."

I looked up. It turned out I was wrong. That was my something cousin. I never remembered how old any of them were, so it came as no surprise that he was in his first year. I wondered what house he would get sorted into. I doubted Slytherin. Despite his near pure blood, Tristen's parents weren't the type to bring him up like that. I supposed his grandfather, Percy Weasley, was rather uptight, but still not the Slytherin type.

"Ravenclaw!"

Someone for Jett to pick on. Good for him.

None of the Weasleys were in the same house as me. I got used to it. I saw them in the halls though, and thank goodness none of them were in my year. If they were, my reputation would plunge. Well, actually if they were, I'd never even gotten this reputation anyway.

Tristen was the last to be sorted, so Professor Abottt rolled up the long sheet of parchment and strode away, taking both the hat and the stool with her. After that Professor McGonagall rose again and said, "Let the feast begin."

"So, how were your hols?" Jessyca asked.

"Oh, good. I suppose," I replied, piling roast chicken onto my plate. I was starving.

"That's cool," she said, but I could tell that all this conversation was was small talk. She was just being polite.

"How were yours?" I knew my manners, and I wouldn't dream of speaking with my mouth full.

"Oh, good too. I've been practicing a lot of quidditch. I was worried I was falling behind, you know." She ate so delicately I was envious. I always felt like a complete pig when I ate anything.

Everything she did was effortlessly perfect, whereas I struggled on a daily basis to look good enough to step outside my room. Judged at every turn, there were few people I actually trusted.

"That's great. Well, I'm sure that you'll do excellently in tryouts. I thought you were great last year, so the competition will probably be limited," I encouraged. It was true, even though I would have lied if it weren't. Jessyca was good at everything she did. I wished it were that way for me.

"Love, I know you'll be great," Cale said.

My heart swooned a little. I wanted someone to say that to me. All my relationships had been failures, so I'd stopped trusting guys when they said anything sweet to me.

"Aww, thanks." Jessyca blushed a little.

Triss glanced over from her conversation with Marissa. "You guys make an adorable couple," she commented, but I had a feeling she didn't mean it. There wasn't a genuine note to her voice, and her face was void of emotion.

Her blond hair and upturned nose made her the stereotypical pretty, perfect dumb blond. Not to mention a complete bitch. Her dull blue eyes roved around, eying me.

I always wondered why she thought I was her competition. Even when we were in first year, she would always compete with Brynn and me. It got tiresome after a while. At first I was flattered by her thinking so highly of me, but soon I realized that I could be a real competitor. That's when Brynn and I came to dislike her.

I quickly brought myself from reliving the past to listen to Smith.

"Sorry?" I asked. I had no idea what he'd said.

"I said," he repeated, annoyed, "I'm on the quidditch team, correct?"

"It all depends on how tryouts turn out," I said noncommittally. I knew he was a very good player, but I hated his attitude, so if anyone was close to being better than him and I thought that I could whip them into shape, I was definitely going to take them before him. His younger brother, Darren Smith, was nice though.

Darren was a Hufflepuff in my year and drastically different from his brother and sister. Where they were cocky, he was humble. Though I'd take Krysten over Kris any day. She was cocky in an admirable way and didn't rub it in everyone's faces.

"Really? You think someone might be better than me?" He raised his eyebrows angrily.

I shrugged. "They might be."

"I've been on the team since my third year. I doubt it."

I shrugged again and returned to my food, done with the conversation, but he apparently was not.

"You know, Malfoy, it's bad to play favorites. You can't just let all your friends from your year in."

My temper flared. "Well, excuse me, Smith. I take who's good. Cale and Jessyca are some of the best chasers I've ever seen, and you know that Daniels is amazing, so don't you dare accuse me of playing favorites. I take good players, who stay in line. Respect is important, Smith, so you'd better learn some if you wish to make the team."

It took all my strength not to jinx him right then and there, but every single teacher was in the room, and it would have been highly inadvisable.

"Calm down, Ash." Cale put a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, chill. What's you're problem?" Smith said with a cocky grin. He thought he'd won, and I supposed in a way he had. He'd gotten a reaction out of me, which was exactly what he'd wanted.

I sighed and noticed Triss had watched the whole thing. There was a small, pleased smile on her face, and I knew that soon everyone would know all about my little outburst. Great. I came from one place of being judged by family to another by peers. To survive I had to be perfect all the time.

Well, I would do it. I would prove them all wrong. I wouldn't break.

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading. Hope you like it. What do you think of Ash and her friends?<p>

Reviews are awesome.


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